the wonderful future
by Winged-Magus
Summary: Severus Snape is ill. Lord voldemore has cast a spell on him that will kill him in one year. When harry discovers it, what can he do to help?
1. Default Chapter

The wonderful future  
  
  
  
It was the first day back to school, and Harry Potter was in his seventh year. The normal burdens of being an "average" teenager at the age of 18 years, was more then triple in his head and he had a feeling that school this year might be the strangest he'd ever experience, even more strange then when he'd found out he was a wizard.  
  
Sitting with his best friends, Herimone Granger and Ronald Weasly (Ron for short), Harry found himself listless and excited during the great feast, the first feast of the New Year, when everyone arrived at Hogwarts after the summer.  
  
All the teachers were seated at the head table, each looking at the new years graduates and first years. Excitement was buzzing thought the air. Tensions were running high, as the Dark Lord, Voldemort was still trying to capture the entire wizarding world.  
  
Harry cast a quick glance at the head table and noticed that Remus Lupin had joined the ranks as the defense against dark arts teacher once more. Snape had not received the defense against dark arts position yet again. For the past seven years, Snape ha been trying to get it, and now it seemed that he would have to wait another year to try for it again.  
  
You could tell by the look on his face that he wasn't happy, even paler and grouchier looking then he had ever looked before.  
  
Harry's least favorite teacher was Snape. And Snape's least favorite student was Harry. Snape gave him an especially grim sneer before returning to his meal, Or at least returning to poke at his meal. Dumbledore had given his years beginning speech and the sorting had been long over with. Only Dumbledore noticed that Snape hadn't really eaten that much during the meal.  
  
***  
  
Dumbledore approached Snape shortly after the east with a look of mild curiosity. "Severus, I noticed that you didn't eat much. Was the food not agreeing to your taste?" The headmaster questioned, eyes sparkling. Snape gave the man a brief smirk before retorting, " My appetite is not as much as it was yesterday. I wasn't too hungry. Too much noise and banter from the new students I suppose." He shrugged at the question and sneered.  
  
" I hope so. You've been looking pale recently Severus." Dumbledore frowned.  
  
Snape took an uncertain step backwards. " Have I now? I haven't noticed."  
  
Dumbledore pulled out his pocket watch and checked it. "Ah. Must be going now. I'll have to continue this conversation with you tomorrow morning. Have to strengthen a ward at midnight and I need to get to it now. See you bright and early tomorrow Severus." He smiled pleasantly.  
  
Snape smiled grimly as the headmaster retreated. " ask me that again next year on the same day and I won't be here to tell you the answer to your questions Albus." He said softly, turning to retreat as well, down a corridor as his stomach gave a twinge and his muscles began to spasm yanked about.  
  
He slumped against a wall, gritting his teeth as a wave of nausea and pain washed over, briefly dimming.  
  
Damned curse.  
  
He closed his eyes and leaned against the cool wall, trying to regain his control. He could taste the bitter coppery flavor of blood in his mouth and on his tongue.  
  
It had become worse.  
  
He scowled at his body for being so weak. Perhaps he wouldn't be around by next years start either. He mused to himself.  
  
His foot froze temporarily, paralysis that came and went, a mild side effect of the curse that had been dumped on him.  
  
Snape reached down and beat at his leg, willing it to relax and regain its former strength and crumpled as it failed totally.  
  
Kneeling, he held his head in his palms as sweat and tears mingled on his cheeks.  
  
"DAMN IT!"  
  
He tried to focus his mind, but it was too cloudy to do any good.  
  
Footsteps.  
  
He could hear them. Echoing down the empty corridor.  
  
Perhaps Filch, or maybe Dumbledore has-- Snape felt something touch his shoulder briefly. Something invisible.  
  
To make things worse, even worse then being found out, was that at that precise moment, his body and lungs decided to force him into coughing up blood.  
  
He hacked, mind body and soul tired and throbbing. Blood dribbled down his cheek and dripped onto his black cloak.  
  
And then the invisible something became visible.  
  
"Professor? Are you alright?" Harry Potter asked, concern sweeping through his mind.  
  
Snape stiffened and tried to pull himself upright, only managing to succeed in knocking himself onto his face.  
  
"Go away Potter." Snape rasped into the floor.  
  
But Harry didn't listen, much to Snape's disappointment. "Sir, your hurt. Maybe we should go to the hospital wing." Harry moved forwards and gently lifted Snape into a sitting position.  
  
"Professor- " "Go away Potter. Don't say a word of this to anyone. I'm fine." Snape glared angrily at the boy before he noticed that Harry had fallen to his own knees and was wiping the blood from his face.  
  
"Sir, your hurt. I'm going to help, even if you don't think you need any help." Harry folded his invisibility cloak up and hid it in his robes.  
  
"Potter. Leave-" Harry gently moved closer and wrapped his arms around Snape's middle, pulling him up. "PO-" Snape's head fell onto Harry's shoulder as the boy lifted him up into an awkward piggyback ride.  
  
"Sir, I hate to tell you this, but I think, we should tell Dumbledore." Harry began to march down the corridor. "Potter-" "No buts. I'm not going to put you down and we're going to the infirmary." Harry ignored Snape's protest.  
  
Silently, Harry couldn't stop thinking about how much weight Snape had lost during the summer holidays.  
  
Harry sped up, which was rather quickly as it was considering that Snape was a full head taller then he was. He felt Snape slump against his back and hurried more. "Sir?"  
  
Snape replied, voice nearly a whisper. " What?" "what happened to you?" "Spell" Harry's insides froze.  
  
They reached the infirmary faster then anyone and once there, Harry lowered Snape gingerly onto a bed.  
  
Madame Pomfry looked unhappy and concerned.  
  
"what happened this time?" She growled.  
  
"I found Professor Snape in the hall and he was all", Harry gestured with his handes, " limp and shaking. Like he'd been through the a crucio."  
  
Snape slumped silently against the infirmary pillow nestled underneath his head.  
  
He had been shaking? Black eyes closed softly. He allowed himself to be pulled into the darkness.  
  
***  
  
When he awoke, it seemed to Snape that he'd been in a horrible dream. His gaze fell on Harry Potter, who was sleeping in a chair beside his bed, arms curled under his head and hair tousled.  
  
So it hadn't been a dream at all, he scowled.  
  
He coughed softly, lungs buckling under the stress, waking up Harry who looked sleepy and freaked out.  
  
"Professor." Harry smoothed the blankets around the man's body tenderly and turned to motion for Madame Pomfry who arrived grim faced a pale.  
  
"ah. The patient has woken up." She turned the curtains around and bunched them up in a corner.  
  
"get the headmaster Potter." She said.  
  
Harry nodded and turned, eyes gracing Snape's before he departed entirely.  
  
"What happened? What day-" Snape coughed again and once ore felt bloods coppery taste in his mouth.  
  
"Mr. Potter found you in the hallway a week ago and we've. No. I can't tell you. I'll let Dumbledore explain." Pomfry said calmly, though Snape could specifically see tears in her eyes as she said it.  
  
"I'm sick." Snape murmured. She nodded, wiping her eyes. "and-" Snape closed his eyes, not wanting to see her face as he said it, " and I'm going to die."  
  
A stiffened sob made him cringe.  
  
"we can't be sure of that-"  
  
"I know I'm going to die. I've had those thoughts in my head since I figured it out. I'm fine." Snape said, blandly squeezing his eyes shut as hard as he could.  
  
Once more footsteps pulled him from his morbid thoughts.  
  
Dumbledore and Harry had returned at last.  
  
"Severus, I don't understand why you didn't tell us before. That curse on you, there's no cure that we know of yet." Dumbledore said, and even with his eyes closed, Snape could tell that his eyes had lost their sparkle.  
  
"I don't want pity Albus. I deserve death as much as the one who condemned me to death." Snape snorted.  
  
"Don't say that! You don't deserve to die. You've helped many people live Severus, and I promise that we'll find a cure."  
  
"you can't. There's no cure. It's a variation on the Avadra Kedavra curse. It'll kill me slowly and painfully, not that I don't deserve it, and there is no way to stop it." Snape said calmly.  
  
"Professer- there-" Harry swallowed hard.  
  
"I'm going to die. Let me do it at my leisure. I'd much rather prefer if no one found out until I'm already dead." Snape said, his voice no more smooth and velvety.  
  
" If that is your wish Severus, then I'll have to respect it. But the children will foind out, sooner or later." Dumbledore said.  
  
Harry heard Snape snort.  
  
"so? It's not like they like me. I'm sure that my death will be a relief to many of them."  
  
Harry felt the pit of his stomach drop out, as if it was on his feet instead of in his chest.  
  
"No."  
  
One beetle black eye popped open in surprise. " No?"  
  
" We don't want you dead. Your our teacher. No one loves all his or her teachers. Besides, it doesn't help that you hate us as much as we hate you. It's a hate-hate relationship." Harry said, crossing his arms.  
  
Snape drew himself up into a sitting position and smiled softly. Just smiled. No words, only a smile that no student had witnessed before.  
  
Dumbledore sighed and shook his head. " then you'd like to keep teaching until." Snape nodded. " Someone's got to teach the Dunderheads something useful." Harry felt realization his him like a brick wall.  
  
By the next year, or maybe even sooner, Severus Snape would be dead. Lonely, alone and dead.  
  
"Professor, we'll figure something out. I know we will." Harry said, every fiber of his being forced into the idea.  
  
"I'll get Herimone-" "No. I want to die in peace Potter. I don't need someone meddling with my affairs." Snape snapped. Harry caught his eye and smiled.  
  
" Then if you want to die, we could," he smirked at the humor of it. " All chip in." 


	2. what Snape doesn't know won't kill Harry

Disclaimer: AKKKK! I own nothing! . me sad. So I just have to disclaim. I wish I did though! I'd make the series revolve around Snape and Harry. WHAHAHA.  
  
The wonderful future part 2!!!  
  
Dumbledore looked like he was going to faint. "Harry!" Madame Pomfry DID faint.  
  
Snape burst into laughter. " chip in? What do you mean?"  
  
Harry smirked at his ingenious idea. " for the entire year, the Gryffindors'll be nice to you, and we'll get the Hufflepuffs to learn and the Ravenclaws to get along with the Slytherins. We'll make it your best year ever."  
  
Dumbledore relaxed, eyes sparkling mischievously. " I specifically said that I don't want anyone to-" Snape started, looking angry. " You can't stop me." Harry retorted.  
  
Snape looked furious. " besides, It's our last year at Hogwarts, I'll just make a bet with the other houses that whoever is the nicest group gets something."  
  
Dumbledore nodded. " How about the nicest group gets a thousand house points? That'll get them." Snape looked sick. " NO. I don't want. NO." He clenched the blankets in his fist angrily. "NO fake niceness." Harry sighed. Perhaps things would be harder then he'd imagined.  
  
Snape scowled and bitterly closed his eyes, to fall asleep again.  
  
"Then maybe." But the rest was lost to him, as Severus Snape passed out. ****  
  
Snape returned to teaching a few days later, and was just as grumpy and sinister as he'd ever been. He glared at everyone; even the slytherins felt his wrath.  
  
And Harry sat through it all. He did everything correctly, he didn't even tease Malfoy, nor did he talk during the potions class unless it was time to work in groups.  
  
Snape obviously had noticed, because he had for once in his life, nothing bad to say about him.  
  
He stalked up and down the rows of desks, ignoring the nawing pain in his sides that coursed up and down his throat every time he walked. Each step brought him closer to tears, but he wouldn't stop.  
  
He had a job to do.  
  
He passed behind Harry's desk and sneered half-heartedly at him.  
  
"five points to Gryffindor for using your brain Potter." He stalked away, pausing to catch himself on Neville's desk.  
  
"Oh look, Longbottoms done something wrong again. Ten points off Gryffindor." Snape drawled.  
  
Draco Malfoy sneered at sHarry. Harry didn't seem to see his taunt at all.  
  
Confused, Draco got up and sauntered over to Harry's desk. " What's wrong Potter? Brain melted at last?" He sneered.  
  
" I'll tell you after class Malfoy." Harry murmured, bottling up his potion.  
  
Perplexed, Draco went back to his desk and stared into his cauldron before bottling up his own potion.  
  
Snape stumbled briefly before returning to his desk looking tired and half asleep.  
  
Good thing it was the last class of the day, Harry thought.  
  
Harry folded his hands and pulled out a winning smiled from the center of his soul. He flashed it at Snape, who blinked and meekly returned it with a sneer.  
  
"Class is dismissed." He said calmly, before slumping further onto his desk.  
  
The class practically ran from the room, fearing more wrath.  
  
Snape sighed and smushed his face into his desk, feeling lost and hopeless. "See you later Professor Snape!" Harry called out, walking out of the class to where Draco Malfoy was waiting.  
  
Snape grunted in reply and went back to his misery.  
  
*****  
  
Draco stared at Harry as if he'd told him he had decided to become a toaster when he grew up.  
  
"OK. So your telling me that Snape, SNAPE is going to die and you need my help? Have you lost what little mind you had to begin with?" he said, eyes as large as serving platters.  
  
Harry nodded, " yes. I want to make it his best year. Or better yet, help him not die. Not dying is better. I mean, we've all been so horrible to him through the years."  
  
"so you want to get rid of your guilt?" Draco stated.  
  
Harry frowned. " NO guilt. I want to make him happy, he saved me so many times that I owe it to him. Besides, he's not so bad." Draco nodded.  
  
"alright. I'll ask father about the curse that voldemort used and we'll have to make a temporary truce. Just for this year. And don't let me catch you trying to hug me or anything when I end our truce. I'm not into that kind of stuff."  
  
Harry agreed. " and if he doesn't tell you?"  
  
Draco shrugged. " then we'll have to try something else. You said that Snape said that it's a variation on the killing curse? Maybe we can work off of that."  
  
*********************************  
  
That was for Jemini the best reviewer I've had for a story.!!!! Thanks!!! More to come soon! I'm just a little lazy if I don't get poked and prodded into typing up all the stuff I write. 


	3. a new day

Disclaimer: AHAHAHAHAHA. I own NOTHING!!! Except the plotline for THIS story. If I owned the Harry potter series, I would be planning the next few books and going insane about all the possibilities. But since I own nothing, as stated above, I own nothing. ( Sad. Woe is me.  
  
*****************************  
  
The next day Friday:  
  
Snape scowled down at his breakfast, willing it to spontaneously combust so that it looked good that he hadn't touched it at all. He considered really lighting it on fire, but the looks he was receiving from the staff room Inhabitants, (mainly Dumbledore) was too annoying for even a good jest.  
  
He glared impatiently at MacGonnigal as she threatened to engage him in conversation and filled all his energy into halfheartedly poking at his lumpy porrige.  
  
He, to his own amusement, found it much more interesting to use a fork while doing it, so that he could make tiny lines up and down the gooey center, making a mock farmland, which he would have joked was grueling work.  
  
He debated dumping sugar on it and found the erg to do so too unstoppable.  
  
His fingers curled around the sugar shaker, clutching it like a soldier, brandishing a weapon, and sprinkled the white powder onto the lumpy yellow goo that reminded him of paint.  
  
Paint, and maybe glue.  
  
That sent a smirk to his lips. He lifted up a spoonful of the putrid waste and put it in his mouth, if only to satisfy Dumbledore and his flunkies. AK! God, it tasted like shit!. Sugary shit. Perhaps sugar would stay down.  
  
He was struck with inspiration. Seizing a glass of water, he dumped a few spoonfuls of sugar in and stiffed the water around, not watching the other flunkies' facial expressions, and took a tentative swig.  
  
Yum. Sugar was a good thing. He allowed himself the brief pleasure of feeling it slipping and sliding erotically down his bile parched throat, making everything seem better. Perhaps sugar would be an important necessity.  
  
He suppressed a surprise burp. Nope. Damn.  
  
It seemed that sugar was riddled with an added side effect. Ah. Early morning gas.  
  
Perhaps it wasn't all so bad. He suppressed the growing idea of blowing a loud, ungodly explosion of sulfurous gas at the staff table. Perhaps later. If not, he could always blame it on Lupin. Always blame Lupin. Poor little Remus. The butt of all his jokes. And this time, quite literally. He smirked to himself, feeling a little better. Dare he try some more of the horrible mash? Why not, he was going to die anyway.  
  
He took another spoonful and felt it slide like slime down his throat. Slugs. How interesting that it felt like slugs. Perhaps he would have to remember to insist upon escargot for lunch later. Just to make the flunkies squirm.  
  
Someone cleared his or her throat loudly, signaling conversation.  
  
"Severus, how goes your stomach? Still acting up?" Lupin asked. Snape smiled pleasantly at Lupin. He let out a burp and covered his mouth. "Yes. The stomach seems to be fine. It's my ass that seems to be troubling me now." Snape said, causing nearly every teacher to blush and look away.  
  
Lupin raised an eyebrow. " Haven't you ever been told by your mother not to discuss bodily functions at the table?"  
  
Snape took another swig of sugar water and felt his body burning to let one rip. "I don't remember my mother even talking to me about it. Though my father did tell me on more than one occasion not to talk with my mouth full."  
  
Lupin sighed, defeated. MacGonningall smiled timidly. " Severus, you do know that whatever we can do for you-"  
  
"I'm not asking for help. I am merely sitting here feeling flatulent. I haven't exactly asked you for help and I don't ever intend to. I'm fine." Snape drawled, taking another swig of water. "clearly all that sugar has gone to your head Severus." Hooch commented tartily.  
  
Snape turned and sneered as menacingly as he could at her. " I don't believe I asked you for your opinion, so stay out of mine." He said, making the words scald.  
  
Hooch fell silent.  
  
"Severus, do try and keep a civil tongue in your head. We are only trying to help you." Dumbledore said calmly, crossing his arms. Snape sighed and slumped against his chair. " Do me a favour Albus, promise me that someone will burry me on my stomach when I die."  
  
"SEVERUS! Why?!" Macgonnigall gasped sharply.  
  
" so that the world can kiss my ass." Snape drawled. Lupin stifled a snicker.  
  
**************************************************************************** **********  
  
Draco met Harry in the emptiest room in the school, which happened to be a broom closet.  
  
"Alright Potter. Out with it. What do you want to know?" the Slytherin grimaced.  
  
"I want to know what your father said about-" Draco cut Harry off. " Nothing. He hasn't responded yet, and I'm not sure he ever will. He isn't an idiot Potter. Giving that kind of information out would make anyone suspicious, especially Lord Voldemort."  
  
Harry nodded. " alright. Maybe we should go talk to Snape. Ask him about a potion or something." Draco snorted indifferently. " you really think that Snape is just going to appreciate what we've got to say? He's a dead ringer for the frozen- feelings man of the year. Why would he care?"  
  
Harry stalked out into the hall. "because it's the thought that counts Malfoy. Wouldn't YOU appreciate it if someone spent time to just talk to you? No, I suppose not. You've got your Slytherin public to keep you happy." Malfoy pretended to look hurt. " oh! The agony. Pain! Such untamed cruelty Potter. How will I ever survive?"  
  
Harry glared at him hatefully. " If you don't want to help, I'll do this on my own." Draco rolled his eyes. " Oh get a grip Potter. It's not like he's dead already."  
  
"But that's the thing! He could be! For all we know, he could just be a zombie Snape waiting for the perfect time to unsuspectingly attack us and eat our brains!" Harry snapped.  
  
Draco burst out into laughter. " you really ARE stupid, aren't you Potter? Bah. Zombies, get your head out of the clouds."  
  
At that precise moment Harry froze and smiled bleakly at someone that was standing behind Draco. " Um. Hi professor Snape."  
  
Draco froze and whirled around. No one was there. He scowled. " Oh go kiss someone's ass Potter. Wanker." He stomped off scowling.  
  
**************************************************************************** **********  
  
Harry wandered down into the dungeons and found Snape sitting placidly in a chair at his desk grading papers. Perhaps it had all just been a horrible nightmare.... Harry thought.  
  
Snape looked up and scowled at Harry. "What is it Potter? Come to pester me?" He snarled. He coughed. A tiny scarlet droplet landed on the parchment he'd been marking. Harry stared at it. Snape wiped it away and scowled bitterly. " If you haven't anything to say, go away."  
  
Harry tentatively took a step forward. " Um, I was wondering." "yes?" Snape eyed hid curiously. "do you." "do I what Potter? Spit it out already!"  
  
"do you know how to make a luck potion?" Harry stammered defiantly.  
  
Snape burst into laughter and nearly choked on the spit in his mouth. " you-ahah-never-Ha." He shook with laughter, nearly falling out of his chair.  
  
" Luck potions can be made by any first year. If you haven't learned it by now-" Snape stopped laughing and clutched his thoat, turning a little blue.  
  
Harry took action and pulled Snape upright in his chair. " sir?!" Snape gagged and began to beat at his cheast painfully. Harry jumped behind his teacher, knocking away the chair, stuck one foot between Snape's feet, braced himself, forced his hands together around his teachers waist and jerked his hands in a J-stroke, the hymlic maneuver.  
  
Once. Twice. Snape began to teeter backwards, still clutching his throat. Thrice. Harry pushed upwards forcefully and felt Snape slump. He pushed into Snape's stomach with his fists again.  
  
Snape coughed and the blockage flew up into the air and landed with a wet sounding splat on the table. A glob of porridge, looking more like stone than porridge any more lay smushed on the hard wood desk. Snape fell backwards against Harry, unconscious and not breathing.  
  
"SHIT!!"  
  
Harry lowered Snape to the ground and checked for signs of life. Just what he needed, his teacher to die because of him. He pressed two fingers against Snape's throat and found a weak, but stable pulse. FEW!  
  
He sighed and racked his brain to try and remember what the summer had taught him, the first aid course the Dursley's had signed him up for to keep him out of their hair for a few days. He tilted Snape's head backwards and held his hand over the adults nose and mouth, hoping against hope that Snape was breathing. He wasn't. "DAMN IT!" he grimaced and, against his better judgment, began to try AR.( artificial respiration for those of you who haven't been forced into your own first aid courses.) He wiped off Snape's mouth and pinched the adult's nose, sealing his lips over Snape's, breathing into Snape. The thin man's chest rose and stayed inflated. Gently, Harry pushed his palms into Snape's chest, forcing the air back out. He re-sealed the air lock on Snape's mouth and blew in another shallow breath. Again, Snape's chest rose. Again, Harry pushed down on it. He breathed into Snape. Pushed the air out, breathed, pushed the air out, breathed, pushed the air out, breathed until--- Snape coughed and opened his eyes looking dazed and confused. " Potter-"  
  
"It's ok sir. You choked, but I got it out." Snape closed his eyes weakly.  
  
"Just rest for a while sir. I'll take you up to the infirmary in a minute."  
  
That got Snape's attention. " No need. I feel fine. Nothing happened." He staggered upright and nearly fell back down. Harry steadied him. "Calm down. Don't move. Your going to the infirmary and that's that." Harry pulled Snape towards the chair he had moved and forced him to sit.  
  
He pulled out his want and magiced the chair's legs into wheels. "OK." He went behind the chair and began to push. The wheels glided squeakily across the dungeon floor.  
  
"Potter. Im-" "Yes?" "I'm slipping." Harry reached over the back of the chair and gently straightened his teacher's back against the hard wooden chair. "Better?" "yes." Snape said softly, closing his eyes in defeat, aware that he wouldn't be able to get out of going to the infirmary again.  
  
Harry pushed Snape out the door and started down the hall until they reached the foot of a large set of stairs. " Ah. Shit." Snape's head lolled to the side, his cheeks pale. "indeed."  
  
Harry scowled. " Wingarduimleviosa!" Snape's wheelie chair levitated up into the air above the first step. Harry grinned and began to head up the stairs, pushing Snape along. They reached ground level. Harry unlevitated the chair and began to push Snape along again, slowly but steadily.  
  
"Potter-" "um?" "can you do me .a favour" Snape asked softly.  
  
"yeah. Sure." Harry strained against the chair and pushed it past a carpet.  
  
"Plug your nose."  
  
Harry did, not a moment too soon. A loud "PRAFFF!!!" tore through the desserted hallways.  
  
"DEAR GOD! What the hall have you been eating! That's awful!" Harry leaned against the chair and began to claw at his now watery eyes. "That would be the after effects of sugar. Obviously it goes down smooth and comes out with a bang." Snape chuckled. Harry staggered and began to push the chair, nearly dragging himself across the floor. "Do me a favour. Tell me if you plan to do that again. Dear god.I'm not even sure if I'm ever going to be able to smell again." Harry couched, waving one hand about to clear the air.  
  
Snape laughed softly and then began to cough loud syllables. He leaned forward and felt copper in his mouth again. Blood.  
  
Harry pulled the chair around and pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket, "don't worry, I haven't blown my nose in it or nothing yet.", he began to dab Snape's mouth. "Jeeze." He wiped the blood away and stared into Snape's eyes to access the damage. Snape stared back at him, paler then usual, black eyes empty and hollow. Even his hair seemed to be limp and sickly looking.  
  
"WHAT?" Snape snapped, though the words were hardly loud enough to hear.  
  
"we've got to hurry." Harry spun his teacher around and began to push the chair faster.  
  
**************************************************************************** **********  
  
Snape sat in infirmary pj's looking sour and sick. He glared at Dumbledore, who looked like he'd been betrayed. "Severus, you should have told someone!" the headmaster scowled, looking both upset and now disappointed. " I have to right to-" Snape started. "Not anymore Severus. Your killing yourself, working down there in the cold dungeons. I think it's time we move classes upstairs to a warmer location." Dumbledore said sternly.  
  
Snape looked livid. " you CAN'T!" "Just watch me Severus. I can and will. It's not safe having you down there all by yourself. No ones even there incase of an emergency, you could very well have died down there and no one would have ever known." Dumbledore turned to Harry and looked at the boy with a look of relief. " your luck Harry was there. You could have died."  
  
Harry looked at his feet sheepishly. "actually sir, I probably caused the whole accident. I talked to Professor Snape and he started laughing so hard that he sort of started to choke. It's my fault entirely. I could have gotten him killed." Harry mumbled, his guilt dwarfing him.  
  
Surprisingly, it was Snape who stood up for Harry and bashed his conscience away. " Actually Potter, I was already feeling sick before anyway. You probably saved me." Snape said softly.  
  
"And I thank you for it."  
  
Harry looked shocked. His greasy, angry, horribly mean Potions professor had just THANKED HIM? Luckily, he managed to keep himself standing long enough to sit in a chair.  
  
Snape peered curiously at Harry. " What? Never expected your sour, old git of a potions professor to thank someone for saving my life?" He questioned, lying down.  
  
"Your not that old." Harry responded automatically.  
  
A giggle from Snape caused Dumbledore to shake his head. " Really Severus, your such an immature man." "But you neglected to say I'm sour." Snape chuckled, hacking again.  
  
The sound of it was like the equivalent of nails on a chalkboard. All laughter ceased.  
  
"Severus, I can't allow you to kill yourself by continuing to work, but since I've given you my word that I won't interfere, I won't. But the least you can do is take care of yourself." Dumbledore sighed.  
  
Snape pulled himself up onto the pillow tucked under his head and sneered sourly at Dumbledore. "I am trying Albus, but I keep getting interrupted."  
  
Madame Pomfry rushed in and shooed Harry and Dumbledore out. " My patient needs his rest! Now go you two!"  
  
Harry smirked and smart cracked her back for Snape's benefit. " He needs some gas eX and beano, if that isn't too much." He was dragged from the room by the annoyed matron.  
  
Snape laughed again.  
  
**************************************************************************** ******  
  
WHAHAHA! Finished typing up another section. To make things simpler, I've arranged the story in a basis that is like this: The days that Snape and Harry have are labeled, so that you can tell how much time has past. I have more to finish typing up, so I hope you all enjoy this chapter. And I want to thank all those kind, kind, kind, wonderful, lovely people who have reviewed my story! You people make it all worth it! THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 


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